Chalkboard Umbrella
by PINK-night
Summary: Yuuta/Fem!Ryoma: Echizen's a bit out of touch with her female friends and can't understand why they're all so happy about their individual boyfriends. So… Echizen is determined to find out. By getting a boyfriend of her own.
1. What was his name again?

Yuuta/Ryoma

Summary: Echizen's a bit out of touch with her female friends and can't understand why they're all so happy about their individual boyfriend. So… Echizen is determined to find out. By getting a boyfriend of her own. Fem!Ryoma

Ryoka's in her second year of middle school. (13-14 years old) This has NOTHING to do with Road to Queen. But I'm sure you all already knew that.

**Chalkboard Umbrella  
****Chapter 1: What was his name again?**

Ryoka never had a lot of female friends; mostly due to the fact that she never had the chance to hang out with them. She never wished for more girlfriends, she was quite satisfied with hanging out with her teammates (even though they always looked at her weird whenever she paused to look at a cute shirt), and she even had Ryuuzaki and Osakada (… were they considered friends?).

And girl-chat sometimes gave her headaches. While she liked shoes just as much as the next girl, she couldn't keep up with celebrity-talk or even the frantic gushes about the cute boy in the next class (he really wasn't all that cute, honestly).

But what she hated more than any sort of gossip…

"I went out on a date yesterday to that newly opened amusement park! It was so much fun! I love my boyfriend so much!"

… was this kind of talk.

Tomoka had found a new boyfriend and would not feel satisfied until Ryoka and Sakuno's ears threatened to fall off with her inane love-babble.

Sakuno didn't mind it much, if only because she was also steadily beginning to open up to the boy she liked, and it was painfully obvious to anyone who saw the two that they were head-over-heels in love with one another.

Ryoka could not take it however. She couldn't relate to Tomoka's enthusiasm and happiness whenever she showed off and it irritated her to no end.

She wanted to know what was so great about having a boyfriend!

"Aren't you really friendly with Momo-senpai? You should totally date him," Tomoka told her matter-of-factly when Ryoka approached her with this problem. The other girl made a face at the suggestion and turned it down quickly, "No way. Momo-senpai's a friend. You don't date friends."

Tomoka scoffed, pigtails flying as she tossed her head in exasperation. "Why not? Besides, boys and girls can't be just _friends_. My mama said so."

"But…" Ryoka looked down at her hands with a troubled expression. "But… in manga, the girl never ends up with her childhood friend or things like that. She usually ends up with the guy she doesn't like at first."

"Where did you get shoujo manga from! I thought you didn't read things like that!"

Ryoka pointed at Sakuno who turned bright red. "Ryoka-chan!" she cried out and pushed the finger away. "I let you borrow it secretly!"

"Hehe, you have such bad taste, Sakuno," Tomoka teased and watched in glee as the shy girl blushed even harder and turned away with a small 'hmph'. "Anyway," Tomoka continued with ease, turning back to Ryoka with a scheming grin, "if you want to go about it _that_ way, just go after a guy you don't like and see how it turns out."

"Oh," Ryoka intoned, nodding her head in realization. "I see. That does make sense, but I do like everyone from Seigaku… for the most part, I guess. What should I do?"

"Hmm," Tomoka hummed, rubbing her chin thoughtfully. "Well, how about people outside of Seigaku? I know you don't like a whole bunch of people from other schools. ("Y'know, when you say it like that, I sound like a total bitch.") The three of us can go to—say, a coffee shop—and hunt for boys. You're bound to find someone who makes you angry!"

Ryoka thought about it. "Captain Momoshiro" (Ryoka and Kaidoh always exchanged little knowing looks whenever they said this—before Kaidoh turned away with an embarrassed scowl) wanted to spend the day working with the non-regulars (while regulars can help out on the side) so she could afford to fake some womanly illness and ditch practice just for one day and do as Tomoka suggested (because helping out wimpy freshmen was _not_ high up on Ryoka's "to-do list").

So Ryoka went over to Momo who looked at her curiously as she approached. Then she told him bland-faced and matter-of-factly, "I'm having menstrual cramps. I need to take the day off."

It was amazing how many different colors Momo could turn into. He seemed to realize that he was starting to look like a mood ring too as he quickly covered his face with his hands and let off a huge sigh before saying, "Yeah… okay. I… I hope you feel better, Echizen."

"Yeah, thanks."

Easy as pie.

The difficult part was deciding what to do from here. The three came to a general consensus to go to the public tennis courts (as there was no way Ryoka was dating someone who didn't play tennis), but it was what to do once they got there.

"Hey there, ladies. Do you pretty girls want to try a three-on-three with us?"

The girls looked up at the group of high school boys that were trying to breach in on their little circle with furrowed brows. They had just stepped into the courts and already they were male-fodder for the hormone struck. Typical.

And as usual, Ryoka was quick to step up to the challenge, donning her usual smirk and resting her racket on her shoulder. "How about a one-on-three?" she said smoothly, shocking the boys into speechlessness.

"STOP."

Ignoring the wide-eyed stares she got from her outburst, Tomoka stepped up to Ryoka and very righteously stuck her finger in her nose and told her, "We are NOT here to play tennis!"

"… they started it," Ryoka defended herself lamely, looking like a kicked puppy dog for a moment.

But ever-strong-and-stubborn Tomoka was undeterred. "Well I'm finishing it!"

It seemed like the volume of her voice attracted some attention, however, as two familiar boys approached them curiously until the one with the dark hair and stoic expression piqued at the sight of Ryoka. "Echizen-san," Ibu Shinji called out, his before-cautious steps now gaining confidence and length, "are you here to play tennis?"

Tomoka whirled around to face the incoming male with a burning expression, "No. She is NOT."

"Sup," Ryoka greeted casually, ignoring the proper protocol in dealing with older peers. Shinji and Kamio (now third-years in Fudomine) seemed unfazed by her nonchalant attitude, already being quite used to her rudeness.

"You aren't here to play tennis?" Kamio asked and received nods from the three girls. "Then what are you here for?"

This question annoyed both Sakuno and Tomoka, although the latter girl was the one who expressed her displeasure outwardly by putting her hands on her hips and asking stiffly, "Are you saying that Ryoka is no good for anything _other than tennis_?"

"What? No! (Yes.)" Kamio sputtered, flustered at the accusation. He tried to defend himself but his words came out in a mess. Shinji stood to the side and just watched him, unwilling to allow himself to be involved.

Ryoka was the one who saved him however as she told him matter-of-factly her purpose for coming to the courts, "Boy-hunting."

This shut up Kamio and Shinji's stiff expression went slack. They both stared at her wide-eyed for a long while, making an uncomfortable silence rest amongst them before—

"AHAHAHAHA! HAHAHA! OH MY GOD!"

Kamio burst into peals of hysterical laughter. Shinji fell to the ground, trying to regain his self-control, but his shoulders were shaking and his face was buried hands. Kamio wrapped a friendly arm around Ryoka and messed up her hair roughly. "Ahaha! Good luck, Echizen! Ahahaha! _Boy-hunting!_"

This set off another round of tummy-aching laughter and Shinji was pounding his fist into the clay ground.

Ryoka, Tomoka, and Sakuno all exchanged looks and left the courts. Ryoka, with a dark aura hanging over her head, spat on the ground and said with a scowl, "How can I date someone who pisses me off?"

But even with this bad experience, Ryoka was still interested in having a boyfriend (and learning why other girls were so obsessed with having one). So on a Sunday after she had her ass-kicked in tennis by her dad, she put on some loose black shorts, a simple box t-shirt, her usual cap and she headed off to a bookstore (one that was close by, but not close enough for her to run into people from Seigaku). After finding the manga section, she picked a title that looked somewhat pink-colored and flowery and sat down next to the wall.

Her shoujo manga research was _on_.

She finished two volumes of the title before she felt a bit sick in her stomach and head. She put the book away and rested the palm of her head lightly on her temple. "This is so stupid," she muttered. "I could be playing tennis right now."

Sporting her headache, Ryoka didn't realize that the bookstore storehand was approaching her until he gently patted her on the shoulder. "Excuse me, miss. Are you okay?"

Ryoka pushed the bill of her cap up and saw a strangely familiar face. The storehand's expression changed from worry to surprise before a friendly grin lit up his face. It seemed he recognized her (even though Ryoka was still trying to place his face) "Hey, Echizen! Surprise to see you here."

Ryoka sat in silence for a bit, her face expressionless. She stared at the other guy for a long while before her memory clicked and by rote she said, "Ah. Fuji-senpai's younger brother."

"… Don't call me that, seriously."

Ryoka just shrugged and looked down at hand. She was holding the third volume of that manga title she had been reading for a last hour.

"Do you need any help?" Yuuta asked to be polite. Even if he knew Ryoka, she was still here as a customer. But Ryoka shook her head, not even looking up from the book in her hand. Curiously, Yuuta dropped down to Ryoka's level and leaned over to see the cover of the book. "What are you reading so intently?"

"Shoujo manga."

"Really? You like that stuff?"

"Not really."

Confused, Yuuta frowned. "Then… why are you reading it."

Without even hesitating, Ryoka answered him honestly, "Trying to get a boyfriend."

"What."

Ryoka glared at Yuuta, expecting him to laugh and rub her head like the Fudomine boys (jerks) did, but he just smiled awkwardly and shrugged. "Well, okay. Best of luck to you, I guess."

Blinking in surprise, Ryoka could only imagine how red her cheeks turned right then and she felt a bit silly. She turned back to her manga and opened it up the first page. "… thanks," she mumbled. Yuuta smiled, although Ryoka didn't see it, and he walked off with a "bye then", going back to work.

Once he was far out of sight, Ryoka looked up from her book, sending a frustrated frown in the direction he left. She wouldn't be able to finish the book today. She would have to come back next week.

So with that thought in mind, she picked herself up and left the bookstore with a backwards look at Yuuta who was helping out another person with his usual bright grin.

"… what was his name again?"

**tobecontinued**

It's Fuji Yuuta.


	2. Are you for real?

**Chalkboard Umbrella  
****Chapter 2: Are you for real?**

**

* * *

**

And her Sunday routine was created as she spent her morning playing tennis against her dad (and losing like always) then going to that close-but-not-too-close bookstore with Fuji Yuuta (she learned his name after she asked him on her second visit. He didn't seem too happy about it).

She had read through more shoujo manga than she did _normal_ books in her entire _life_. It was not something she was willing to brag about and she was sure the store manager wouldn't be too happy with her unless she bought _something_ with each of her visits (so she always picked up the weekly sports magazine).

Now she was that long-expected regular that came each week. Some of the other employees knew her by name (thanks to Yuuta) and she was on semi-friendly terms with one of the other female workers (her name was Minako). But out of all these workers, the only one who knew the real reason for her weekly visits was Yuuta.

"Hey, welcome again."

"Hnn."

Laughing at her lackluster reply, Yuuta followed Ryoka to her usual secluded corner. "Uwa, so polite."

Ryoka looked over her shoulder at him and smirked shrewdly.

Maybe it was the aura Ryoka let off or maybe it was Yuuta who intervened, but no one bothered Ryoka when she sat at her corner and read her manga (except for the younger Fuji). No one here knew about her boyfriend-search other than Yuuta either, which was a surprise to Ryoka.

She was sure the other boy would have told his co-workers (because they had asked her multiple times what she was reading here every week—she always dodged their questions with grunts and half-truths), but Yuuta kept mum about it. When she asked him why, he answered, "Because it's none of their business, right?"

(And a smile inched over Ryoka's lips, "_Fu-un_…")

They grew closer after that. Not exactly friends, but not strangers either.

"Found a boyfriend yet?" Yuuta asked in a soft tone.

Ryoka opened up a manga and began to read. "Not yet."

Yuuta frowned at this answer; the same answer he had been receiving since the beginning. "Are you even trying?" he asked, propping his head up onto his hands.

"I'm trying."

He seriously doubted this. In fact, Yuuta could bet money that the only thing Ryoka did when she wasn't here reading girly books was play tennis. "Reading shoujo manga won't help you get a boyfriend."

It seemed his words struck a nerve as Ryoka glared at him, effectively shutting him up. Yuuta backed off and scratched the back of his head for a moment before asking, "Why are you trying so hard anyway? It doesn't look like you're all too into it."

Ryoka paused for a moment, letting the manga in her hand just rest on her fingers heavily.

Having a boyfriend would make a girl stupid, she decided a long time ago. And in the manga she read, many boys wanted that _one_ girl, which was always a big hassle. There would be lots of confusion and heartaches and girls would cry and cry and _cry_. From what she read, there was _nothing_ good about getting a boyfriend!

Yet… the girls in every single shoujo manga she read… looked so happy whenever they ended up with the boy they liked. It was a wonder, and it made Ryoka feel…

… jealous?

"I just…"

Yuuta leaned in close, eyes expectant. "Hm?"

Blushing at the proximity and his eager expression, Ryoka let her fringe fall into her eyes and she muttered weakly, "I just want to know why girls make such a happy face when they talk about their boyfriends. That's all." _I just want to share that happiness_.

Yuuta watched her girlish blush with wonder and leaned back, rubbing his warming cheeks. Why was he feeling embarrassed? "Do… do you even have a guy you like?"

"No."

Something within Yuuta sank with relief, and the boy shook his head, bewildered at himself. "You want to have a boyfriend, yet you don't like anyone."

Ryoka frowned and looked up from her book again, setting it down all the way. She gave Yuuta her whole attention and this set a wave of goosebumps loose over the boy's skin. "So what if I don't like anyone?"

"It's just… you're kinda doing this out of order, aren't you?" he commented, watching as Ryoka fell silent in contemplation. Her young face looked more female and mature than Yuuta remembered it being. Her golden eyes were bright as always and accentuated by her dark lashes. Her hair was also longer than it had been a year ago, but it was still conveniently short, just the way Ryoka liked it. And Yuuta realized he liked it that way too.

"… Fuji-senpai's little brother?"

Yuuta was startled out of his staring and he jumped back, hiding his bright red face with his arm. "D-don't call me that!" he said out of rote, but it lacked the usual venom that his response normally would've contained. "I, um… do, do you want to go play some tennis or something afterwards? My shift ends in five minutes."

Ryoka frowned in disappointment. She was never one to turn down a tennis match, but she had no choice this time, "Can't. I didn't bring a racket or extra clothes." She gestured to her simple long tunic, the white leggings that came down to her knees and her ribbon-adorned black flats. Ryoka could do amazing tennis moves for sure, but she didn't feel like ruining _another_ pair of perfectly good shoes for it.

"Oh," Yuuta said lamely, feeling disappointed. "Alright then. Maybe next time…" and he turned around to clean up after his shift, but stopped in his step when a low growl of a hungry stomach sounded from behind him. Yuuta turned back around at once and saw Ryoka staring at her abdomen with an expressionless face.

And he laughed, finding great humor in the honesty of her body and the dishonesty of her expression. Ryoka glared at him, but this set off another round of chuckles. "You wanna catch lunch in a bit?" he asked with a smile.

"… only if you pay."

"Always such a brat," Yuuta responded, but his voice was bright and his cheeks were pink with happiness. He went back to the employee-area to get changed into his everyday clothes, humming a light tune, giving vague answers to his co-workers who asked him why he was so happy.

Echizen waited for him by the entrance of the bookstore and gave him a flippant sideways glance once he came out.

"Did you wait long?" he asked, pulling his sports duffel further up his shoulder.

Ryoka shrugged her shoulders and began walking ahead. Yuuta made a face at her back; honestly, the least she could do was say "yes" or "no", but then again, she wouldn't be Echizen without that infuriating, rude personality of her's.

So Yuuta, with a crooked smile, followed after her. "It sure is nice weather."

"… so it is."

"There's a nice family restaurant close by with an open patio. Do you want to stop by?" Yuuta asked, catching up to the girl to walk alongside her. Ryoka seemed to consider it for a second before nodding her consent.

It was a strange feeling to be walking side-by-side with this boy, she decided. Her right side tingled almost as if his very presence was tickling her and it was somewhat irritating how conscious she was of his closeness. She looked at the space between them, it was enough for perhaps another person around Ryoka's size to squeeze into. It certainly wasn't close enough for her to tell him to back off, but it was still getting to her.

'_Ignore it_,' she decided and looked ahead, firmly dismissing the strange sensation running up and down her skin. '_Just ignore it._'

They reached the restaurant quickly enough. The server welcomed them in with a gentle smile and sat them at a table in the shade. It was small place where most of the tables were placed out in the open, but the amount of open air and greenery gave it a sweet, homely atmosphere and Ryoka found herself unwinding as she took it all in.

"So how are you guys doing? With tennis, I mean," Yuuta asked, trying to strike up a conversation with a topic they were both comfortable with.

Ryoka looked at him from over the menu, regarding him with a curious look before glancing back down at the menu in her hands, "Same. We're going to win the nationals."

Yuuta gave a curt laugh and grinned at the girl confidently. "In your dreams! This year's St. Rudolph is the strongest yet! We're definitely going for national conquest! Seigaku or whatever, none of you guys stand a chance!"

"Fu-un," Ryoka hummed half-heartedly, putting down her menu and pressing the server-alert button on the table. "You're still not good enough."

"Whatever. I've learned from before, y'know. I know now that before I can defeat my brother… I have to defeat you."

Ryoka looked up at the boy sitting across from her and met his eyes. They were completely different from the older Fuji's. Fuji-senpai looked at people with cool, calculating glances; assessing them and trying to decide their worth… while this Fuji… Fuji Yuuta met gazes head-on with a fire burning in those dark brown depths. Before, it was an inferno of jealousy and hatred towards his older brother, but now… it was a bonfire of determination and hope: a clear and beautiful flame.

"Heh," Ryoka bowed her head to hide her smile. She didn't like to waste her time with people weaker than her, but she liked guys like this… they tended to make games interesting. "We'll see, won't we?" she said with a long smirk. Yuuta mirrored her expression and gave a light chuckle while trying to rub the pink off his cheeks.

"That kinda sounded like a compliment. Now you've got me all embarrassed."

"Don't say stupid things," Ryoka retorted promptly. The server had walked over to their table and she began to give him her order.

"Stupi—! I'm not the one trying to find a _boyfriend_ by reading shoujo manga! (Oh and I'd like the salmon katsu please.)"

Ryoka gave him a flat look but didn't say anything in return and stuck a straw in her mouth instead. Yuuta, realizing that she was pouting, took his victory graciously and decided to stop teasing the girl. "How's your boyfriend-finding research going anyway? Learn anything interesting?"

Looking at him from the corner of her eyes, Ryoka answered in a mild-manner, "Not really. Nothing that seemed helpful anyway." She straightened up at let out a heavy sigh, "From what I read, Monkey King is the best candidate for a potential boyfriend."

Yuuta didn't know who "Monkey King" was, but he suddenly felt annoyed that he was considered to be the "best candidate" instead of—instead of…

… instead of who?

Then the server stepped in, balancing their ordered trays in his hands. Ryoka took her dish with a subdued "Thanks". Yuuta was also startled out of his reverie when his salmon katsu was placed in front of him by the smiling server before he excused himself with a slight bow. Ryoka took no time to dig in while Yuuta just looked down at his meal with a troubled frown.

"Why… why, uh, 'Monkey King'?" he asked cautiously, trying to look uninterested.

Ryoka looked up at him and wiped her mouth with a napkin. "He's rich," she started, "he looks like a human despite being a monkey, he's good at tennis, and he pisses me off…"

"Wait. Pissing you off is a _good_ thing?"

The girl across from him shrugged half-heartedly and spoke between chews, "No, but in manga…"

A thoughtful look passed over Yuuta's face. "Y'know… maybe, instead of listening to what those books say, you should…" he paused for a moment, trying to think of the words, "… I don't know, listen to your heart?"

At once, Ryoka straightened; she looked confused by Yuuta's words. "What does that mean?"

"Like," Yuuta stumbled over his words again. Sure, Ryoka was absolutely clueless about the whole relationship thing, but that didn't mean Yuuta knew any better (but he sure as hell didn't rely on shoujo manga). "Like, is there anyone that you probably wouldn't mind spending time with one-on-one? Or someone that isn't quite a friend to you but you still like him anyway."

"A person that's not a friend, but I still like him?" Ryoka repeated, looking thoughtful. The idea seemed to be foreign to her if her frown was anything to go by, but she was thinking about it—thinking really hard. Then she looked up at Yuuta and her eyes were straightforward and undaunted.

"You," she said.

There were no fanfares or great fireworks of realization. It was a simple word said in a plain tone with a straight face.

Yuuta blinked. His mind didn't quite comprehend what Ryoka had said until the girl's eyes went wide like dishes and she stuffed the rest of her food in her mouth hurriedly, not even bothering with etiquette. "Thanks for the meal," she said through a full mouth. She then grabbed her bag and stood. "I'm going now. Bye."

"Wait. Echizen, wait up!"

But Ryoka was gone in a flash, leaving Yuuta staring at the door with a flabbergasted face. After realizing that she wasn't coming back, he sat back down in his seat heavily and looked at the empty space across from him.

It wasn't a mistake. He had heard her loud and clear.

But… why? What was that? A… a…

A confession?

And his heart! Yuuta laid a hand over his heated forehead and felt the corners of his lips struggle for a bit before they lifted up into an uncontainable crooked grin. His heart was racing!

"No way. Are you for real?"

**tobecontinued**

Oh, so real.


	3. Together

The entire basis for this fic is "a romance from a shoujo manga". Which is why it's so bittersweet.

**Chalkboard Umbrella  
****Chapter 3: Together**

**

* * *

**

"One! Two! Three! Switch!"

Ryoka made a small noise of discomfort as she stretched her legs out to their limit. It was just another day of practice at Seigaku. Captain Momoshiro was leading practice today, starting with some basic stretches; they had to slowly guide the little duckling freshmen behind them afterall… Ryoka just didn't appreciate being roped into it with everyone else.

Being the only female on the boy's team, she usually paired up with Coach Ryuuzaki, but the teacher had some business to take care of first, so Ryoka was settling with some small individual stretches by herself.

Or it was _supposed _to be individual stretches. Ryoka paused when a hand landed on her back and pushed her further down. "Ow!" she complained and pushed back, fighting off the hand. Glaring over her shoulder, she saw Tomoka grinning at her like a cat that just caught a canary and Sakuno who looked down at her hands instead of meeting Ryoka's eyes. "Ow," she repeated, more subdued and with more meaning.

Tomoka shrugged half-heartedly and drawled, "Sooorry."

Knowing that she didn't mean it at all, Ryoka clicked her tongue at her and turned back around to continue her stretches.

The other girls bent down to her level, pressing close so the boys couldn't overhear their conversation. "Found a boyfriend yet?" Tomoka asked.

Ryoka shook her head, reaching over for a toe.

"It's been two months! You should just ask a guy out. There's Tarou-kun from class A, he's cute."

"Hmph. _Mada mada dane_."

"What!"

Sakuno calmed Tomoka down, shooting nervous looks at the boys behind them. Also noticing that the guys were starting to give them weird looks, the pig-tailed girl quieted down and huffed, "Whatever. Have you even _talked_ to guys outside of Seigaku?"

"Yeah," Ryoka admitted nonchalantly. "I had lunch with him yesterday."

Obviously, this was not the answer either Tomoka or Sakuno were expecting as they seemed to be stunned into silence for a moment before Tomoka cautiously decides to further this line of conversation. "Really? Who?"

And Ryoka thought back to yesterday's events and her slip of the tongue. The other two girls exchanged wide-eyed glances as their friend turned bright red and ducked her head further down. Tomoka watched Ryoka's reddening ears with interest and, slowly, a sly grin spread over her lips. "Hmmm… sounds like something _good_ happened."

"Nothing happened," Ryoka snapped back curtly.

"Alright, whatever you say," she conceded easily, and she paused for a bit before talking again. "Is he cute?"

Ryoka blushed to the roots of her hair and she pinned Tomoka with a scandalized glare. "Osakada!"

Cackling menacingly, Tomoka bounded off the tennis court, blowing kisses Ryoka's way all the while. Ryoka watched her with a thin frown until she was out of sight and even then she didn't fully relax; how could she when her heart was beating so fast?

The usually polite and soft-spoken Sakuno smiled at Ryoka's colored face and she leaned down next to her friend, laying a hand over the other's shoulder. "Although I don't know who you're thinking about," she whispered into Ryoka's ear, "I can tell that he makes you happy. Maybe that's all you need, Ryoka-chan."

"He… I don't…"

Sakuno giggled and gave Ryoka's a light squeeze of encouragement and left for her own tennis practice.

After a moment of just looking at the empty spot next to her, Ryoka shook herself out of her daze and resumed her stretches… although half-heartedly. She didn't want to think about Sakuno's words or her own messed up feelings about this situation.

She wanted a boyfriend so she could understand the hype, and now this _Fuji Yuuta_ guy was making everything confusing and sticking his "I-will-overcome-my-brother" head into her business! There was no way she could get a boyfriend like this! Not when she couldn't stand going to that bookstore anymore…

Without even realizing it herself, Ryoka had stopped her stretches and had curled in on herself. She held her head in her hands and felt how hot her forehead was against her palms.

_It's just a fever_ she told herself without really believing the words.

* * *

_Vrrrr. Vrrrr_.

"Ah," Fuji Shuusuke (1st year of high school) paused in the middle of his conversation with his classmates and gave them an apologetic smile as he dug his cell phone out of his schoolbag. "Sorry, it's me. Let me get this."

"Sure. No worries."

Fuji raised an eyebrow at the name blinking across the screen of his phone. Well… this was a pleasant surprise. With a bright smile already armed on his face, Fuji pressed the receive button and put the phone to his ear. "Hello, Yuuta. What's up?"

There was a strained silence on the other line of a second before a low, mumbling voice answered back in an almost reluctant manner, "Hey… Aniki… I'm doing fine. How are you?"

"Oh yes," Fuji answered, ignoring Yuuta's tone of voice as he always did nowadays, "I'm doing just fabulous! I got full marks on my English test today; you were never very good at English were you Yuuta? If you would like I could tutor you, in fact I'd be _glad_ too."

The silence this time was longer before it was broken by a heavy, exasperated sigh. Fuji could almost picture his brother running a hand down his face, stretching out the frown that was probably already bent down to its limit. "No. No thanks, I don't need… English help."

The way he said that seemed almost like a sign. Fuji opened his eyes and peered at the nearby wall, a mischievous smirk beginning to slither across his lips like a snake. "Are you perhaps saying," he paused, lowering the pitch of his voice to dark degree, "... you're calling me for help of some kind? Girl problems… maybe?"

A loud and abrupt crashing sound came from the other line followed quickly by a frantic shuffling noise. Fuji smiled; Yuuta had dropped his phone. How cute.

Once the younger Fuji got himself under control, he cleared his throat and stammered in reply, "Ah. Ah, no. I mean—you're not _wrong_, but—"

"Oh, my! My little brother is now all grown up!"

"Aniki!" Yuuta almost shouted. His desperate tone effectively shut Fuji's teasing up who grew curious. "Please, Aniki. I… I need your help."

Fuji Shuusuke would never be an exemplary older brother, that was for sure, but he tried his damned hardest. And when his sibling came to him for help with that sort of voice, there was absolutely no way Fuji was denying him. "What is it?"

There was a bit of awkward and somewhat embarrassed, "uh"s and "um"s after this, but Yuuta managed to get his request out in a manageable sentence before long, "I just, uh, need…" he cleared his throat again, "I need Echizen's… phone number… or something."

Or something.

Fuji was instantly interested and there were about a thousand questions on the tip of his tongue. This was not just a pleasure call Yuuta was giving Echizen. Had it been anything else, surely the boy wouldn't have been so nervous about asking for the girl's number.

Yuuta must have sensed his brother's growing excitement because he quickly interjected, "Don't say anything about it! If it all goes well you'll know about it in the end. Just… just give me her number!"

Slightly disappointed, Fuji gave a little shrug and gave Yuuta the desired information easily.

"Thanks, Aniki," Yuuta said breathlessly. "This is her cell phone, right? She picks up calls, right?"

"Yes, of course," Fuji answered serenely. This was a new and unexpected side to his brother. To think that _Echizen_ of all people could get such a reaction out of him was… surprising to say the least.

"Anyway, I'll call you again. I need to… I need to do something else."

Hmm. Fuji chuckled lightly and refrained from commenting. "Of course. But Yuuta, before you hang up, let me just say that even though Echizen is my cute underclassmate… you are my cuter brother. So if there's anything I could do to help, just say the word. Echizen doesn't look it, but she does give heed to her older peers' words."

Fuji didn't even need to imagine how red Yuuta's face was right now to know that he was embarrassed. "Shut up!" And he hung up.

"Haha," Fuji chuckled as he put his phone down. His friend heard his light laughter and smiled, "What's so funny?"

After thinking for a moment for the right thing to say, Fuji asked a question back, "Is it pitiful if the younger sibling gets a girlfriend before the older one?"

"Why Fujiko-chan? Is your baby brother getting all cozy with a girl before you?"

"Haha. Well, we'll see."

* * *

It was Sunday before she realized it. She woke up at ten in the morning for her usual morning routine of getting her kicked around the courts by her father, cleaning up, and eating a Western-style breakfast (then complaining about it). Now it was one in the afternoon and she was lying around in her room reading the latest Sports Weekly magazine. Usually around this time she was up and about heading off to her usual bookstore, but…

She didn't know if she could go back anymore.

Instead she was holed up in her room with nothing to do but read about people she didn't care about and think about Yuuta and wonder what he was doing right now.

Fed up with herself, Ryoka threw the magazine to the ground and climbed into bed, tossing her covers over her head. Why couldn't she stop this? It was like that guy buried himself deep within the folds of her already selective memory and now her brain decided that she should think of nothing but him. It was so irritating and useless.

_But… _Ryoka pressed her face into her pillow. _Is he thinking about me… as much as I'm thinking about him?_

If it was like that… maybe it wouldn't be as annoying.

_Brrring. Brrring._

Without even getting up, Ryoka grabbed her phone off her bed's headboard and peeked at its screen. It was an unknown number, probably a telemarketer. Even so, Ryoka took the call and answered with a dull, "Hullo?"

The voice that replied back struck the very core of her mind with shock and her entire being was filled up with something that was distinctly pink, sweet, and fluffy. Like cotton candy.

"Echizen? It's me, Fuji Yuuta."

Ryoka lifted herself up and removed her bedsheet from her head. Her golden eyes were round and her parted lips were dry. "Fuji-senpai's—"

"Yeah," he cut her off, voice light with good humor, "don't call me that."

Taking her time to sit up fully and make sure her tongue was still working and not ready to say something completely unneeded again, Ryoka continued talking, "How'd you get my number?"

"I… I asked my brother. I told him that I needed it, so he gave it to me."

"You _needed_ it…?"

"Yeah. About last week."

And Ryoka turned bright red. She already saw this coming from the moment she realized who was on the other line, but to have her premonition come to life was something she didn't want to suffer.

Yuuta seemed to have sense her intention to end the call right there and then because he snapped quickly, "Don't hang up! Listen to me!"

"There's nothing to listen to," Ryoka muttered in response, but Yuuta ignored her and continued on, "Last week, when we had lunch together. You… you said that you liked—"

"I didn't," Ryoka desperately denied. Yuuta was having none of that, "You did. You said it. You said that you liked hanging out with me, but you don't see me as a friend. What does that make me then,  
Echizen? Do you know?"

Ryoka's head fell forward. This was the closest to defeat she had suffered from someone other than her father lately. "Stop it," she whispered. "So what if I said it? It doesn't mean anything."

Yuuta fell silent; considering this. The time between them without words shared seemed so long and tense to Ryoka and she hoped that their conversation was now finished, but Yuuta spoke up in the end, "Are you… still looking for a boyfriend?"

She thought about denying. Maybe she should've lied and said that she already found one and she was happy and he should never call her again. "I… yeah. I am."

But she couldn't. Lying to him , this guy who's name she always forgot, was something she couldn't do. Because she knew that if she did tell him that she was no longer looking or that she already had one, that something that they shared between them would break and shatter into unfixable little needle like slivers. It would hurt her.

For a long while, the guy (_Fuji Yuuta_, she reminded herself) said nothing before slowly, as if tasting the words on his tongue, he said, "… come meet me at that restaurant. The one we went to last week."

"What?" Ryoka asked, wondering if she misheard him.

"Just come!"

And only a dial tone responded to her unanswered question, leaving Ryoka wide-eyed, confused and slightly overwhelmed by the rush of emotions running through her. Even though she was just a mess of feelings, she realized that she had absolutely no intention of not going. She wanted to go. The very thought that Yuuta wanted to see her and was thinking about her made her heart clench painfully, but she was happy about this hurt.

It didn't make sense, but she was so happy.

And so she ran. She ran to catch the bus then when she realized that she missed it and the next one wouldn't be coming until thirty minute later, she ran some more. She just kept running, unable to stop and all the adrenaline and the rush of the wind through her hair left her feeling more free and alive than even winning the nationals did.

By the time Ryoka made it to the restaurant she was panting for breath and a mess. Her vision was slightly blurred due to exhaustion, but there was no doubt in her mind and heart that it was Yuuta who was leaning against the building. She approached him, awkwardly trying to pat her hair into a decent state while wishing she had dressed prettier and didn't run so hard, but Yuuta looked up at her and his eyes widened and a smile lit up his visage. Ryoka felt her face heat up at the sight.

"You came," he said in an awed tone.

"You… told me to."

Yuuta chuckled and ran a hand through his short hair. "I did. I just… I just wanted to see you. I don't know why, but when I didn't see you today, I thought I would go insane. I was… worried. I even got off early! As… you can… see…"

The two looked down at the ground, their faces sporting similar bright red blushes. Ryoka dug her fingers into her shirt and her heart steadily picked up pace even though she wasn't running anymore.

"You… you said you were still looking for a b-boyfriend, right?" Yuuta asked, trying to take a peek at her face, but it was down casted and her fringe fell like a curtain. She didn't answer his question now, but Yuuta remembered her on the phone.

"_I… yeah. I am."_

Her voice was nervous and wavering, unlike the usual Echizen that he knew… but it endeared her to him all the more. "Then how about me?"

His question came out clearer and more confident than he felt. It also grasped Ryoka's attention as the girl's golden gaze turned to him, regarding him with nervous confusion. "What do you mean?" she asked.

Yuuta grit his teeth and flushed even darker. He was frustrated, understandably, but then again this was Echizen he was talking to and he had expected this… but it was still frustrating. "I mean—! I—will you—" He stopped himself and took a deep breath. "… will you take me as your boyfriend?"

He had meant to be cool when he said this, so he could appeal his _manliness_ to Ryoka. He wanted to sound confident and self-assured, he wanted his brain to catch up to his mouth, he wanted his knees to stop shaking…

But in the end, Yuuta crumbled to the ground, burying his face in his arms. His face was so hot that he could swear it was beginning to steam. "Uwah. I must look so uncool right now…"

Ryoka looked down to see his crimson ears and she nodded. "Yeah. So uncool."

Yuuta's head snapped back up, he was frowning at the tactless girl ready to say something back, but he paused, the words fading away from his mind as the image of cool, unmoved Echizen Ryoka with a troubled expression and a bright red blush replaced it.

Swallowing hard, Ryoka tried to duck away from Yuuta's staring eyes. She placed a hand over her forehead as if checking for her temperature and grumbled, "Don't… don't look at me."

Echizen was tight-lipped, rude, a tennis-maniac, not feminine, and kind of uncute… but at this moment in Yuuta's eyes, she was too adorable for words.

So he picked himself up and stepped towards her, not too close, but just enough her him to reach out and take her hand from her forehead. He loosely held her rough, but still dainty fingers in his larger palm. "So… will you? Will you go out with me?"

"I…" she glanced at their hands but didn't pull away. Taking a moment to collect herself, Ryoka lifted her head up proudly, expression cool but cheeks still a shy pink. "You're my senpai's younger brother, I'm better than you at tennis, you're not obscenely rich, you don't look like a prince, you don't piss me off… you're nothing like the guys in manga."

Ryoka fell silent, taking a moment to just look at Yuuta's frowning face. He looked about ready to argue with her, and for some reason that made her heart skip. "But… I guess I don't really mind."

And Yuuta blinked, his dark expression clearing up as he took in Ryoka's embarrassed pout and tilted chin. "So, you're…"

"I'm willing to try with you." She looked up at him, golden eyes brighter than usual. "But, I don't really know much—"

"It's okay," Yuuta said, unable to keep the grin off his face. "We can take it slow." He gave her hand a gentle squeeze, and slowly, she squeezed back, a soft smile on her face.

"Okay."

Was this happiness what every girl experienced when they fell in love? Ryoka thought that maybe she was making the same stupid, love-struck face Tomoka made whenever she talked about her boyfriend. It irritated her, but… that was fine.

Her very own _Happily Ever After_.

* * *

They've been dating for three months now.

Although it had been three months, Ryoka still smiled whenever Yuuta called, and Yuuta still found his eyes drifting over to the manga corner on Sundays.

The Fuji family had learned of their relationship during the first month. They were so happy it unnerved Ryoka. The Fuji mother and daughter gushed about how cute Yuuta's little girlfriend was and "Look at you! So skinny! You must stay for dinner!" "Ah, you were on Syuu-chan's tennis team? So you're already family!" "Please forgive my baby boy. He's very shy, but I'm sure he'll be nice to you."

The situation seemed to be veering out of control; especially when Fuji Shuusuke placed both his hands on Ryoka's shoulders, _squeezed_, and leaned down to her height to breathe in her ear, "Echizen, if you two ever get into a little spat… you know I'm always here for you, _right_?"

"Aniki!" a frowning Yuuta hollered, already at his wit's end.

Fuji pulled away from Ryoka, laughing lightly when the girl rubbed at her ear with an annoyed scowl.

Yuuta's first visit with the Echizen family was much more subdued, for the most part. Rinko was all sunshine and rainbows when she first met the boy, being a good hostess and asking polite questions while serving tea and little treats. Yuuta seemed to warm up to her and that comforted Ryoka. Meanwhile Nanjiroh was… not so happy.

"Is this young man why you're missing out on some of our Sunday matches, Ryoka?" Nanjiroh asked, looking over the top of his newspaper (possibly using it to hide his porno).

"Hm? Yeah, I guess," Ryoka replied, rubbing the back of her neck. "But its fine isn't it? We play almost every day anyway."

Nanjiroh pouted however and basically threw an adult tantrum, kicking his feet and whining in a high-pitched voice, "It's _nooooot_ fine. My baby is neglecting her daddy for another boy!"

"Who's your baby!" Ryoka snapped back, turning pink at the cheeks.

"You are!" Nanjiroh retorted sharply, and then he turned his piercing golden eyes to Ryoka's proclaimed "boyfriend" and told him in a deep, warning voice, "Listen here, young man. My daughter is still very young so all touching is limited to shoulder bumps. No holding hands, leaning against each other or, god forbid, _kissing_. Got it?"

Whatever response the wide-eyed flabbergasted Yuuta had went unheard as Ryoka rolled her eyes and snidely said, "We already held hands."

Nanjiroh's reaction afterwards was a memorable thing, and to make matters worse, Ryoka chose that moment to lay her head against his shoulder and curl her fingers around his palm. How the older man didn't jump up from the couch and swat at him with the curled up newspaper in his hands Yuuta didn't know. But it didn't keep the sheepish grin from spreading across his face. "I'll, uh… I'll do my best," Yuuta said. What he meant by that, he didn't even know.

But it made Ryoka chuckle.

However, even before the Fuji family and the Echizen family, the first people to know about her changed relationship with Yuuta had been Tomoka and Sakuno.

The two girls shared bright smiles and Tomoka gushed about how they could have triple-dates now, and how they should all go to that newly opened amusement park for the Golden Week break. After a moment of stoic contemplation, Ryoka smiled back and told her that she was looking forward to it.

It was things like that, that made Ryoka think that out of all the girls with their own individual happy relationships, she couldn't help but feel that maybe her's was the happiest. She told Yuuta this during a date in the park making the boy blush up to his ears and choke on his breath.

"W-what are you saying!"

Ryoka ignored him, not wanting to explain herself. Instead, her eyes caught a piece of chalk on the sideway, possibly left behind there by one of the many children running around the area.

She dropped down to her knees, picked it up and began to draw something she remembered seeing in a lot of the shoujo manga she read.

It was a simple little umbrella with her name and Yuuta's on either side of the pole.

Having regained himself, Yuuta bent down next to her and looked at the drawing with a curious frown. "What is it?" he asked her.

"It's our umbrella. You walk here, and I walk here. Next to each other, under the same umbrella." She looked up at Yuuta who was staring back at her intently. The gaze made her skin prickle and an undeniable desire rose up within her at that moment. She wasn't in the habit of liking someone like this, but she realized a long time ago… that she really, _really_ liked Yuuta.

So she leaned forward, her eyelids dropping shut, and she quickly pecked Yuuta on the mouth with her own lips. The boy didn't pull away, but his eyes grew round and he seemed to have stopped breathing.

Ryoka pulled back quickly and looked back down at the umbrella, fiddling with the strap of her tennis bag casually but her embarrassment was painfully obvious. Yuuta grinned, unable to keep the glee off his face. He watched Ryoka's flushed cheeks and pouted lips for a moment before he called her name, "Ryoka."

She turned to face him, unsuspecting, and Yuuta leaned in.

We're always under one umbrella. Together.

**End**

That's it folks. Thanks for reading. :)

I actually really love this pairing so it was nice to write this. This is what I imagine pure-hearted middle school love to be like, really.

Next up will probably either be a Dan/Fem!Ryo or a Kintarou/Fem!Ryo. Rookies love!


End file.
